Claudia Puig

The cliché-laden dialogue, schlocky special effects and predictable plot are derivative; the movie is overwrought and lacks suspense.

Balls of Fury makes "Dodgeball" look like high art. It'll be tough to crack a smile, let alone laugh, during this uninspired and sophomoric satire of sports movies.

How to lose an audience in 10 minutes: Cobble together a predictable and forced romantic comedy that should have been funnier.

Yet another ho-hum family comedy hits screens this weekend -- this one in peppermint holiday flavor.

Disappoints with its lack of character development and convoluted storytelling.

Those drawn to unusual, unflinching feats of filmmaking and rare acting turns as well as sustained suspense will be captivated by Buried.

A sensitive and occasionally poetic film, Brick Lane is an absorbing tale of personal empowerment and emotional growth.

Director Todd Phillips (Old School) has a knack for extreme scenarios and outside-the-box casting. He has made a movie that is consistently funny from start to finish.

The concert footage is mesmerizing; the planning leading up to the show is pedestrian.

The comedian's braggadocio here is more wearying than that of the most self-absorbed rapper. And worse, it comes at the expense of humor.

The Beautiful Country might be too slow-moving for some, but it has powerful performances and a multi-layered quality. It is an epic journey worth taking.

Though the film offers a meticulously rendered Depression-era L.A., it's not in the same league as "Chinatown," for which Towne wrote an Oscar-winning script. Here, the characters seem shallow, their motivations murky.

Grief and suicide seem unlikely subjects for a comedy. But Shrink tries gamely to mine edgy humor from the darkest places. Sometimes it works. Other times, its Hollywood-centric focus feels like a re-heated cinemash of "The Wackness," "Crash" and "The Player."

Solidly entertaining.

The film's mythology is a bit dodgy, and the dialogue is standard issue, but the over-the-top action sequences are occasionally fun, if gory. Ultimately, it's a formulaic, predictable take on a Hollywood staple: the vampire horror film.

One of the more befuddling movies of recent years. The premise makes no sense, no matter how you turn it around in your head.

All cinematic creativity seems to have focused on devising the most repellent ways to maim and murder.

A movie that gives marriage, homosexuality, friendship, firefighters, children and nearly everything else a bad name.

Patricia Clarkson, who has emerged as one of the screen's best character actresses, plays Brooks' wife with intelligence and down-to-earth warmth.

As written, directed and, of course, acted by Sylvester Stallone, this film provides more insight into the character and his psyche than previous films, which were much more about the punches thrown.

There is a blessed dearth of dialogue, but much of it is unintentionally hilarious.

Intelligent and engrossing saga.

If you don't mind some contrivance, On a Clear Day is a diverting underdog tale.

A visually stunning, startlingly clever sleight of hand that will have audiences pondering well after the lights go up.

Father and son Kirk and Michael Douglas' moments together are among the movie's best.

As the girl fights and rivalry play out, flashes of wit are obscured by the plot's contrivances.

It's a family drama that treads on well-worn middle-class territory but is redeemed by the complexity of the characters and the intriguing ambiguity of their actions.

Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva are terrific. But the performances by the older actors are largely forgettable.

You're more likely to roll your eyes than swoon over this slow-moving and far-fetched love story.

Louis CK’s I Love You, Daddy is queasy fare, not just because its rambling, self-indulgent story has strange and unfortunate associations with real-life allegations, but also for its tone-deaf narrative and offensive sexual politics.

Relentlessly grim and grisly, 28 Weeks Later is not for the faint of heart. But its provocative post-apocalyptic theme makes for a smart and deeply unsettling film.

While it's intriguing to learn about all the players involved in creating a fashion line, there's too much minutiae to keep the attention of those who are not obsessed with design trends.

While Walt & El Grupo could use trimming, it also is visually stunning.

A revelation: funny, fascinating and insightful.

Bening takes a complex, sometimes cloying character and makes her sympathetic - all the while pulling off a British accent with seeming ease. She single-handedly makes the movie worth seeing.

The Painted Veil is a welcome addition to the slate of holiday movies, particularly for those drawn to intriguing tales of multi-dimensional characters in exotic settings.

Though there is plenty of gunplay, this is a wondrously contemplative and poetic saga that offers a fresh and bewitching take on a timeworn genre.

Beowulf couldn't be less faithful to the original epic poem, and that's actually a good thing for moviegoers. It's a lot more fun than the mythic adventure most of us read in school.

Those who sit through this mindlessness get the booby prize.

Even with the ponderous dialogue, it's hard not to have fun on this adventure, and it's good to see that Indy, though slightly weary, still has the goods.

Sex Drive does not fully satisfy our comic desires.

It's an artistic and authentic evocation of an era but a rather surface-skimming story of the '70s all-girl rock band fronted by Joan Jett and Cherie Currie. If anything, it just makes you want to know more about Jett's back story and Currie's subsequent life.

Scotsman Gerard Butler does a fine job as the charismatic, ghostly character.

This follow-up seems so similar to the 1953 Disney classic that it makes one long for a geriatric Peter.

By the end of the movie, all we want is for Barrymore to give him the time of day.

Movie stardom is seductive, but 50 Cent and his fans will be best served if he sticks to to his day job.

Defanged and drippy, the remake of 1939's The Women seems to have been made for the dullard granddaughters of the sassy, sharp society matrons in George Cukor's campy original.

The story has its clichéd and sentimental moments. It's no "Raging Bull," more like "Rocky" shot with a handheld camera. But Rourke's wounded tough guy is undeniably captivating.

The movie has a few too many story threads, but it also has some very funny lines and offers sharp-eyed commentary on the state of relationships in the era of instant messages and MySpace.

Gracefully acted, and the story packs a powerful punch straight to the gut.

The worms, the real stars of the film, are fairly impressive, looming large, plump and slimy as they are boiled, fried, served with sauce and added to omelettes and smoothies.

The whole journey feels like a rich girl gone slumming. And for those of us along for the ride, it's a bit of a slog.

An ambitious hodgepodge that is all bang and bluster.

Portentous and dull, the film features one of the worst over-the-top performances by Dennis Hopper, who plays an abusive father.

Wastes a moderately intriguing premise by filling it with laughably clichéd dialogue, one-dimensional characters and implausible turns of events.

The soundtrack is mostly Elvis tunes, and Stitch even does an adorable impersonation of the King. As Elvis might put it, you can't help falling in love with Lilo & Stitch.

Given the story's focus on religion and the intolerance that still rages in today's world, The Merchant of Venice remains deeply meaningful.

Parents and kids should be heartened to see a G-rated movie that is not dumbed-down or saccharine-sweet. Rather, it's subtly inspiring.

The film is entertaining if contrived. It is not as cleverly structured as Roos' best ensemble comedy, "The Opposite of Sex," which also co-starred Kudrow. But it does have humorous moments.

The story is corny and predictable, but Carlyle's subtle, nuanced performance saves the movie from drowning in sentimentality.

It's too bad that this long-awaited movie didn't go further than faithfully re-creating Kahlo's artwork and her studied look. Her passionate and tragically short life (she died at 47) is ideal Hollywood material, but the audience is left wanting a more in-depth portrait.

Soderbergh does a fine job creating a moody atmosphere of pervasive anxiety. The ending can be interpreted a few different ways and should ignite debate about its meaning.

Can't decide what direction it's going in. Some of the time it seems to be a standard teen sex comedy. Occasionally, it appears to be spoofing the genre. It concludes on a romantic, almost honorable note.

It might be that Jarmusch (Broken Flowers) is experimenting with creating a pastiche of dreamlike sequences that audiences can interpret as they wish. Or it may be merely pretension and hubris that fuels such a stylized and insubstantial story.

The story is told gently and simply without excess sentimentality. It is a welcome departure from more contrived holiday fare.

Though the writing is often sharp, one is reminded repeatedly by the actors' theatrical delivery of some lines and by the confined settings that the movie's origins were on stage.

The movie feels more like a slightly longer episode of Disney's old "Winnie the Pooh" television series.

De-Lovely has its moments of delight. Its defects lie mostly in failing to fully delineate what made musical icon Cole Porter tick.

An enchantingly beautiful and moving film.

The 1992 phenomenon was creepy, tense and sexually charged in a bold yet tawdry way. This sequel lacks even a shred of those elements.

America loves dysfunctional families, but haven't we seen enough middle-aged losers who haven't grown up?

Impassioned, informative and entertaining, if sometimes repetitive.

This is not only unsuitable for children, it's a colossal waste of time at any age.

One bad idea can unravel and ruin lives in unimaginably horrific ways.That's the concept underlying the riveting Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, a sharply acted and highly entertaining morality play.

The movie is an undeniable visual spectacle, but just as unequivocally a cheesy, ridiculous story.

Mother and Child is as tangled as the emotions that link parents and children.

The huge contingent of girls -- and women with girlish fantasies -- who liked the first two movies will doubtless enjoy Eclipse. But this third go-round won't make Twihard converts of the rest of us.

A thoroughly compelling political thriller, at once intellectually challenging and profoundly emotional.

A warm and pleasantly diverting tale.

Though rambling and at times self-indulgent, its wit and pageantry, boosted by Heath Ledger's final performance, render it irresistible.

Invictus, which is Latin for "unconquered," gives the poem several meanings in the context of the film. It also applies to Eastwood, who, as one of America's greatest storytellers, finds enthralling tales and fashions them with finesse and an indomitable spirit.

The movie clichés are bearable mainly because the cast rises above the formulaic material. There are also some bona fide laughs to be had once the setting switches to a luxurious resort in the Czech Republic.

Though preachy at times, Catch a Fire is a well-constructed action thriller elevated by Luke's performance.

The Fall is aptly named not only because it pertains to a tragic descent but because viewers will feel as if they have plunged headlong into an alternate universe with this dazzling adult fairy tale.

Though occasionally visually inventive, Kung Fu Panda is a disappointment when it comes to matters of simple black and white: the script.

Notorious is like a piece of well-crafted bling. It looks good, and facets of it shine, but behind the gilded facade there's not much there. And what is there can be troubling and retrogressive.

A surprisingly savory treat, though it doesn't bear much resemblance to the charming classic children's book on which it's based.

Slogs pokily along and never quite picks up speed.

Bridges actually does a fine job in an uninteresting role. But this chick flick is all about the attitudinal teenagers.

You can't help but have high expectations from Zaillian and this stellar cast. But the result this time is a thuddingly tedious soap opera.

An ambitious and occasionally illuminating hybrid documentary. But a cacophony of sights and sounds and a disjointed narrative dilute the message.

This is not enjoyable entertainment, but it is brutally watchable.

It's hard to know just who the intended audience is: The movie is too surreal and bawdy for young kids and too silly for anyone older than 25.

Furry Vengeance is a slapstick stinker, easily the worst movie of the year.

These characters are interesting for their flaws and wounds, but the movie doesn't delve deeply into the sources of their pain. See this movie for its humor and talented cast and you won't be disappointed.

A masterwork of suspense, romance and political intrigue.

Yearns to be fresh but ends up tasteless. It's as drawn-out, forced and annoying as a holiday meal with a dozen carping relatives.

Catch and Release is not worth catching. Release yourself from boredom by giving it a miss.

For a movie about the power of imagination, Bridge to Terabithia is not as clever as you would hope.

Bug won't get under your skin as much as it will assault you with its ghastly claustrophobic drama and over-the-top performances.

The special effects continue to be masterful, but villains are given a new twist, and Order of the Phoenix is all the more fun because of it.

Often ponderous, sometimes pretentious and mostly clichéd, this contrived meditation on longing and loss feels like a missed opportunity.

It is that rare film that is equal parts entertaining, life-affirming and thought-provoking.

The movie, full of wan gags and tedious situations, is directed blandly by Rock.

Worth seeing, not only because it shows how an ordinary man can do something extraordinary, but because it allows audiences the opportunity to watch an extraordinary actor in a performance that could have been rote, but instead is nuanced and intelligent.

Ramona and Beezus are undeniably cute, and the movie that bears their names tries to inject some timeliness, but what many of us will walk away from this movie thinking about are the hot father figures.

Bunny is fashioned as a bawdy comedy with heart, but its reliance on formula undercuts the amusing moments.

Like "Anchorman," the secret to the inspired absurdity of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is in the improv.

Entertainingly epic eye candy.

Familiar B-movie fare, but it's also lively fun and presented with well-paced flair.

All the obvious elements combine to manipulate the audience into a weepy time at the movies -- again.

This fun-filled adventure avoids formula with a whimsical story and terrific voice casting.

The laughs -- mostly crude, profane and drug-addled -- are almost non-stop.

It's consistently funny -- with witty dialogue and offbeat banter that stays in your head for days.

The best that can be said about the film is that its naturalistic look and dark hues are occasionally intriguing, and its twist is fairly unpredictable, if far-fetched.

The Break-Up is not comical or romantic, and it's certainly not a date movie. Sitting through it is almost as painful as going through the demise of a relationship.

Intricately plotted without being contrived and exhilarating in its eccentricity.

Sharp satire or feel-good foolishness? Silly sap won out.

Not only a stirring history lesson and an action-packed war film, Glory is also a ferocious statement about enduring discrimination that resounds today.

Though the film opens with an intriguing burnished look, it bogs down about halfway through with talkiness and uneven pacing.

The primary upside to The Upside of Anger is the presence of Joan Allen in the lead role.

A junior chick flick. But unlike many of its more mature counterparts, it is emotionally affecting, avoiding the manipulation and formulaic camaraderie that often spoil the genre.

Mostly, it wallows in partying with a capital P.

The entire undertaking feels like a waste of time and talent.

While the film is not as resonant as the novel, it is an honorable adaptation, capturing the essence of the bond between father and son.

The thin story, which sometimes feels like a series of one-liners strung together, is wisely kept short. But the gags are funny and the characters endearing.

The story, though initially intriguing, is dicey. A seminal social satire has been spun off into a passionless romance and a wan comedy.

This junior chick flick merely reinforces superficial clichés one associates with female teens: petty fights, intense highs and lows, and self-absorption.

The name is a tipoff: Club Dread is dreadful.

Although it's reasonably well-acted and offers a few certifiable jolts, feels awfully familiar.

Sherlock Holmes has been reimagined with fighting skills as potent as his intellectual acumen.

Violent thrills and massive blood spills are the essence of the absurdly over-the-top action flick that is Shoot 'Em Up.

Step Up 2 is one long, clichéd exercise in predictability with a couple of vibrant dance sequences and some unintentionally hilarious bad acting.

Will leave audiences yawning rather than gasping from fear.

If feuds, drunken outbursts and thoughtless bed-hopping sound like fun, then A Christmas Tale is a hoot. Some wry humor runs through the course of the overly long saga. But there's not enough dark wit to mitigate the tedium and pretentiousness.

Neil Young once said: It's better to burn out than it is to rust. But moviegoers are lucky Anvil didn't take Young's advice. Who knew heavy metal could seem like fine art when it rusts?

It's a sweetly strange yet uneven comedy, with a charming lead performance by Steve Zahn offset by a lackluster one from Jennifer Aniston.

Has strong performances and stirring football scenes.

What emerges is part screwball comedy, absurdist farce, social satire and earnest self-exploration. If it had the unwavering focus and clear-eyed vision of Russell's previous two features, I Heart Huckabees might have been brilliant.

Murderball brilliantly captures the intensity of the little-known athletic competition, offering more intimacy and drama than most Hollywood sports movies.

Willis' performance mystifies, while Mos Def's mesmerizes.

The film grows on you, but more substance and less calculated quirks would have been a royal treat.

Earnest and understated, Gran Torino is an unflinching examination of themes that have fascinated Eastwood in most of his recent films: family, war, loss, faith and unexpected human connection.

G-Force is unlikely to keep anyone older than 10 on the edge of his seat, and the bathroom humor may annoy adults. But the message of unity, while unoriginal, is consistently sweet.

An endearing, occasionally sentimental story told with depth and substance.

Cheesy, campy B-movie fun, thanks mostly to the cadre of cobras and their ilk and also to Jackson (probably the only actor alive who could pull off this save-the-day bad ass movie role).

The Curse of the Golden Flower is the year's most operatic and visually lavish film.

Creation is a superbly creative exercise for its star, Paul Bettany, who plays Charles Darwin. But it's a subdued and meandering portrait of the conflicts underlying the development of the theory of evolution.

The players fall into recognizable stereotypes: the big and clumsy kid, the real talent who's also a showoff, the buffoon, the gross-out guy. But no one is more formulaic than the coach. He starts out smug with the kids and ends up smitten.

This year's wittiest animated adventure saga.

The glacial pacing may put some people off, but it also has a hypnotic quality. And some viewers might find it fascinating to be a voyeur into someone's tortured psyche.

The film's look, fashioned by production designer Michael Howells, is noteworthy for its vibrant colors and fantastical feel.

Artful and emotionally compelling.

The Black Dahlia captivates with its dark style. But as with the particulars of the yet-unsolved case, the movie is frustratingly convoluted. What it accomplishes with its stunning cinematography and set design is undercut by a lack of coherence.

With its ho-hum performances, muddled point of view, inert plot and pedestrian writing, all that's left to appreciate are the sumptuous costumes, elaborate hairstyles and rococo production design, which are not enough to sustain any movie, even one set in the gilded splendor of Versailles.

Part of the problem lies in the casting imbalance: Ferrell is so much more adept at this comedy style than Heder.

The villains are so extreme that they come off like sleazy caricatures. This accentuates the nuanced skill of the two lead performances, but it undercuts the overall effect of this well-constructed, if occasionally flat, pulp thriller.

Watching this movie feels a bit like being trapped on a weekend holiday with an unpredictable and seriously unhappy group of people.

Superficial and lurid, Perfect Stranger is the cinematic equivalent of spam and should, like those trashy messages, be avoided.

An engaging tragicomedy, exploring the consequences of single-minded fervor in a humorous and humane fashion.

An uplifting but occasionally treacly tale of transcendent grief, opted to venture where angels go fearlessly.

Don't be fooled by the presence of some pretty-boy actors: Alpha Dog is a gritty, gut-wrenching and disturbing film.

Though it could probably use an intermission, Grindhouse is three hours of mostly campy fun.

It is one of the year's most intriguing dramas, with a quartet of powerful performances.

Touching, but not cloying, uplifting and hopeful but never sappy and also just plain funny. There is not a false note among the five core performances, nor a false word in Sheridan's script.

If you value your time and money, find an escape clause and avoid seeing this trite, predictable rehash. The 90 minutes could be better spent doing holiday shopping.

The kind of well-acted, genuine heartwarmer that some people complain Hollywood doesn't bother making anymore. And in this case, Hollywood didn't.

Unfortunately, Red Eye goes from being a powerful thriller to a far more predictable story of revenge.

There is no question that the organization is a riveting subject for a film.

Has some strong acting. But largely because of its glacial pacing, the story ends up feeling too detached to move us as it should.

Even though the special effects and action sequences are good, the monsters conjured up are rather humdrum.

Not only is it plodding and completely predictable, the carnage is rendered slowly and quasi-reverentially, making the whole brutal experience come off like torture porn.

Not even Bill Murray could save Garfield. Perhaps the comedian -- so pitch-perfect as the sardonic actor in "Lost in Translation" -- got too deeply into character.

The Secret in Their Eyes is that rare police procedural that engages emotions as well as intellect.

Invincible doesn't offer any surprises. But it is a well-made, fairly exciting movie that, like its hero, has heart.

As the film ultimately deviates from its course, the entire undertaking suffers.

Everything about this fish-out-of-water romp is tired.

Charming and inspiring.

What is missing in plot and character development is made up for in silly fun.

This is Austen lite, but pleasantly so. You can hardly fault a movie that fashions itself around a consummate writer whose keen sense of humor and gift for fully realized characters have resulted in countless screen adaptations.

Adam is a cut above most romances and boasts a intriguing conclusion. One comes away with a sense of hope, leavened by realism.

Donkey continues to be lovable, and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) has one of the funnier character arcs.

As impressive as Kevin Spacey ordinarily is, this isn't the best vehicle for his considerable talents.

This film is so superficial and shifts so jarringly in tone that nothing feels authentic -- not Bacon's hard-working husband and father, nor his maniacal vengeance seeker.

While the film is heart-wrenchingly sad, it also is mordantly funny, uncomfortably prickly and above all, unflinching in its depiction of a believable sibling relationship.

While not exactly a zero, 21 lags and fails to measure up dramatically.

While he gets points for addressing the debate, the way in which Stein goes about it undermines his efforts to be even-handed and intellectually rigorous.

A Southern-style "Ocean's 11" without the pretty boys and Vegas attitude but with plenty of laughs.

Both a psychological portrait and an exciting action film.

This Christmas Carol seems like a pale ghost of Dickens' magical Christmas classic.

It seems as if no professional actors were hired in the making of this motion picture.

Watts has proven herself a Lady of the Rings, but twice is enough. No burning need for a trilogy.

The film's score and editing brilliantly heighten the film's energy, keeping the audience somewhat off-kilter and unsure where things are headed.

Moviegoers will come up empty with Mad Money. This lifeless comedy and uninventive caper feels as if it were cobbled together at a studio's obligatory consciousness-raising diversity seminar.

Sometimes the most compelling real-life stories make better documentaries than dramas. Such would seem to be the case with The Children of Huang Shi.

Misfits and misanthropes are the heroes of Role Models, a surprisingly clever comedy.

Sadistic mess of a movie.

Rings has moments of edge-of-the-seat excitement, too, such as when the dark riders come looking for Frodo. But it's occasionally tedious when it should be captivating.

A good farce is hard to find. Particularly one that holds up for the entirety of the story and keeps us engrossed, while smiling. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a particularly effective and cheeky example.

The Class is a deeply moving film about the challenges of educating children in a complex and often turbulent world.

Feels about as fresh and lively as a piece of burnt rubber.

This sequel to the clever and funny first "Transformers" not only is disappointing, it will give most people a throbbing case of metal overload.

James Franco is a gorgeous, smoldering lover in Tristan & Isolde, but you can't help being reminded of Ben Stiller's "Zoolander" character.

Kids should enjoy the comic performances of the animals, and adults will appreciate the film's gentle poignancy, powerful enough to induce a lump in the throat.

Rodriguez is such a visual stylist, and the violence is so cartoonish, that the flurry of whizzing bullets and growing pile of bodies is not as offensive as it might be.

It's problematic enough that the movie's lead characters are unlikable. But worse is the blackening of The Human Stain with a trite and forced plot, uninteresting digressions and clunky direction.

Splinter is no exploitative blood bath or torture horror like the "Saw" movies. It's more of a thriller along the lines of "The Thing" or "Alien." The scares are equal parts psychological jolts and gore. This is classic Halloween fun, with plenty of thrills and chills, surprisingly believable performances, and healthy doses of humor.

The last name Blart may be the funniest thing in the movie, so that's a hint as to just how bad this shopping-center saga can be.

Scott Pilgrim, a lovelorn musician, is an appealing fusion of nerdy, cheeky and vulnerable. So, who better to play him than Michael Cera?

Mongol is quality escapism: an exotic saga that compels, moves and envelops us with its grand and captivating story.

While More Than a Game is a terrific exhibition of talent, exuberance and skill, it is above all a moving tribute to enduring friendship.

Though the deliberate pace can feel slow to glacial at times, the visuals are gorgeous, and the melancholy mood is exquisitely evoked.

The screenplay is thin, the dialogue lacks nuance and the acting is often laughable.

This may be the most laugh-free comedy of the year.

In a season filled with dark-themed films, it stands out as an elegantly mounted, surprisingly humane but terrifying horror thriller well worth seeing.

A moviegoer's nightmare. The story is incoherent, inane and interminable.

It's déjà vu all over again. There isn't much more to say about "We Own the Night 2." Oops, make that Pride and Glory.

Easily the summer's, and probably the year's, most enchanting movie, Up is a buoyant delight.

Not an expansive biopic but a fascinating snapshot of a pivotal chapter for Chanel, her formative fashionista years.

An unflinching, powerfully visceral and haunting portrait of the tragic events aboard one of the terrorist-commandeered flights on the fateful morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

Too many threads are left dangling and the movie ultimately proves too implausible to put alongside those horror classics.

One can excuse the movie's missteps and melodramatic moments in the greater interest of the strong statement it makes about our health care system.

Watching the Pulitzer-prize winning novel by E. Annie Proulx on the big screen is like being on an ocean liner stuck on a glacier.

When it comes to 3-D visual splendors, give me Wonderland over Pandora any day.

It's a rare romantic comedy/road picture that's not only flat-out funny, but also presents complex and well-developed characters.

Forest Whitaker is astoundingly multifaceted and convincing as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. In the performance of his career, he fully inhabits the part of the barbaric and charismatic ruler.

Like a padded "Saturday Night Live" sketch. What would have been very funny for 15 minutes, and pretty funny for 45, doesn't maintain the standard over the course of a feature-length film.

Downey is absurdly funny.

Princess Diana's antecedent, both genetically and figuratively, was a beautiful and glamorous duchess named Georgiana Spencer. Like her descendant, her charm and vivacity captivated England.

Cheri, like the character, is an entertaining bauble without much on its mind.

In a summer filled with dumb comedies, this might prove to be the dumbest. Think "Road Trip" meets "City Slickers." Then dial the humor down a few notches, and you're left Without a Paddle.

Sitting through this movie is worse than being locked in a room with a continuous loop of "Nip/Tuck" playing on a jumbo screen.

The Doors lit rock 'n' roll fires for only 54 months, having formed after Morrison met Manzarek in 1965, when both were UCLA film students. We get a sense of them as bandmates as they hang around backstage or rehearse, garage-band-style.

Emerges as an African version of "Schindler's List."

A haunting and fascinating portrait of so much that is worth exploring: the implacability of nature, the hubris of human endeavor and the line between supreme dedication and madness.

The movie and its theme of self-acceptance has an honesty, undercut by occasional preciousness, that makes it worth seeing.

This is not a simple, uplifting tale. It's never clear whether Charlie will fully recover, and that sense of realism is the film's strength.

Rhythmically, athletically and energetically, Step Up 3D does not disappoint.

Will not be for everyone, but it works if you surrender to its lilting and unabashedly sentimental tale of evocative music and visual poetry.

An entertaining, diverting adventure saga that offers excitement and a relatable heroine for children, and also will remind their parents of favorite classics from their own youth.

Flyboys doesn't succeed as a wartime adventure story or as a period romance. Even the special effects, set in a historical context, are too ho-hum to save this over-long and tedious film.

The main lessons Jonah attempts to teach are compassion and mercy. That's an unusual -- and welcome -- message these days.

Think "Boogie Nights" meets "Casino," though it's not likely to make the lasting impression of either seminal film.

Compelling tale of a free-spirited record producer, played with perfect pitch by Frances McDormand.

Can't quite figure out what it wants to be. At times it strains to be a stately period drama about 16th-century political intrigue. Then it devolves into soap opera muck and emerges as a rather tame bodice ripper.

The thrilling stunts and hyperkinetic action scenes are the undisputed stars of this surprisingly entertaining film.

It's hard to beat the last movie, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and this film is not better, but it has much to recommend it.

It does deliver a combustible combination of ingredients for a summer blockbuster: a cornucopia of action and dazzling effects, some raucous humor and a large dose of Depp's winning charm.

Premonition is both dreary and absurd, suffering from a lack of intrinsic logic and terrible pacing, a one-two punch that kills off any chance of entertainment value.

The saga is an undeniably heartwarming one about perseverance, hard work, and pride in community. And who could criticize that?

Amusing, charming and pleasantly nostalgic.

The Bridget Jones characters are worth revisiting. It's just too bad the story that connects them in The Edge of Reason is less fresh and clever than its predecessor.

An engaging and exciting family film that at times feels a bit like "The Lord of the Rings Jr."

The mesmerizing, heart-tugging concert film Heart of Gold confirms Neil Young's stature as a national treasure.

The laughs are hit and miss and the movie is ho-hummus.

If you've watched the BBC series "Planet Earth," then Earth will seem like a familiar, if stunning, global rewarming.

Inside Man may be a cat-and-mouse game, but it's far from predictable. What could have been a straightforward thriller is unusually clever, visually captivating and unfailingly entertaining.

Unfortunately, it's not one-tenth as interesting as what you can see at home during a nightly cable surf as U.S. war policy is debated.